Future Forecast
Highlights of the 2022 Kinder Houston Area Survey
The 41st Kinder Houston Area Survey used new methodologies to recruit and survey Harris County residents about their priorities and aspirations.
In 1982, Stephen Klineberg, founding director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and Rice professor emeritus of sociology, led a survey of Houstonians as part of a class project. The survey set out to measure how residents felt about explosive, oil-fueled growth amid rising concerns about traffic, pollution and crime. Since then, the now-annual survey has documented how Houston has transformed from a majority Anglo, oil-based town to one of the most diverse U.S. cities.
This year’s 41st Kinder Houston Area Survey — Klineberg’s last to lead — reflects the views of several thousand Harris County residents on the economy and hot-button political issues. Findings highlight an increasing political divide, a desire for more public school funding and a call for the government to do a better job of addressing society’s rising inequalities.
HIGHLIGHTS
Brighter Future
The percentage of Houstonians who foresee a better future for themselves dropped to an all-time low of 50% from a peak of 65% in 2017.
Top Anxieties:
Cost of living, especially gas and housing prices (28%)
Soaring rates of violent crime (25%)
COVID pandemic (15%)
Traffic congestion (12%)
Voter Access
81% of Houstonians are in favor of drive-thru polling locations
83% support 24-hour polling places
85% support opening more temporary voting locations
Marijuana
65% of Houstonians are in favor of legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes and 90% are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical reasons
Public Schools
In the 1990s, around 60% of Houstonians believed public schools had enough money.
In 2022, that number fell to 34%, with 67% calling for more investment in public schools.
63% are in favor of raising taxes to provide universal access to early childhood education.
Teaching
25% of Houstonians support Texas’ ban on teaching about inequality and race in Texas schools.
Reproductive Rights
81% of Democrats and 33% of Republicans say abortion for any reason should be legal.
64% of those surveyed support a woman’s right to an abortion if she wants one for any reason.
92% of those surveyed support abortion if the woman’s health is seriously endangered.
Equity and Opportunity
Fewer Houstonians believe minorities have the same opportunities as whites: Anglos fell from 64% in 2020 to 49% in 2022; Hispanics from 66% to 43% and Blacks from 29% to 17%.